A jury is set to resume deliberating at a trial for a man accused of murdering two people, who were forced into a toolbox and dumped in a Brisbane creek.

February 20, 2020

A jury is expected to resume deliberating at a trial for a man accused of murdering two drug dealers, who were forced into a toolbox and dumped into a creek.

Cory Breton’s and Iuliana Triscaru’s decomposing bodies were found in a large metal box at Scrubby Creek, south of Brisbane, on February 11, 2016.

Tuhirangi-Thomas Tahiata, 28, has pleaded not guilty to murdering the pair after they were lured to a townhouse in Kingston 18 days earlier and assaulted by a group of his mates.

The Supreme Court jury retired to consider the verdict on Tuesday and did not come to a decision on Wednesday.

The prosecution has argued that Tahiata’s Toyota Hilux ute was used to drive the box, with Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru inside, to the water, where he helped drag it off the vehicle.

He also allegedly fired off a round from a shotgun to quieten down the pair screaming from inside the toolbox as another man was pushing it into the water.

Tahiata then handed the other man a claw hammer to punch holes in the box to help it sink, the court heard.

Prosecutor David Meredith says his actions were “breathtakingly evil” and constituted murder because he encouraged the other man to kill Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru.

The jury was shown police interviews in which Tahiata confessed to police twice within 24 hours.

But defence lawyer Chris Minnery told them Tahiata’s confessions shouldn’t be taken seriously.

The day after Tahiata first spoke to police, officers used a mobile crane to pull the toolbox from the water.

Mr Breton’s and Ms Triscaru’s bodies were found inside. They either drowned or suffocated, the court heard.

The jury will resume deliberating on Thursday.